BTK has been caught. Reading another story about the suspect, Dennis Rader, reminded me of this story recounted by Chuck Colson.
In the course of research for [the book] Loving God, I discovered a dearth of contemporary writings on sin. After a long search, however, an unlikely source–Mike Wallace of "60 Minutes" furnished just what I was looking for.
Since Christians are not accustomed to gleaning theological insights from network TV, I'd better explain.
Introducing a recent story about Nazi Adolf Eichmann, a principal architect of the Holocaust, Wallace posed a central question at the program's outset: "How is it possible . . . for a man to act as Eichmann acted? . . . Was he a monster? A madman? Or was he perhaps something even more terrifying: was he normal?"
Normal? The executioner of millions of Jews normal? Most self-respecting viewers would be outraged at the very thought.
The most startling answer to Wallace's shocking question came in an interview with Yehiel Dinur, a concentration camp survivor who testified against Eichmann at the Nuremburg trials. A film clip from Eichmann's 1961 trial showed Dinur walking into the courtroom, stopping short, seeing Eichmann for the first time since the Nazi had sent him to Auschwitz eighteen years earlier. Dinur began to sob uncontrollably, then fainted, collapsing in a heap on the floor as the presiding judicial officer pounded his gavel for order in the crowded courtroom.
Was Dinur overcome by hatred? Fear? Horrid memories?
No; it was none of these. Rather, as Dinur explained to Wallace, all at once he realized Eichmann was not the godlike army officer who had sent so many to their deaths. This Eichmann was an ordinary man. "I was afraid about myself," said Dinur. ". . . I saw that I am capable to do this. I am . . . exactly like he."
Wallace's subsequent summation of Dinur's terrible discovery–"Eichmann is in all of us"–is a horrifying statement; but it indeed captures the central truth about man's nature. For as a result of the Fall, sin is in each of us–not just the susceptibility to sin, but sin itself.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
NASCAR and TV
From the AP:
The USA Network's coverage of the recent Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show drew better TV ratings than last spring's NHL Stanley Cup finals.
Last Sunday's NBA All-Star ratings were down 3% from last year, down to an all-time low.
NASCAR: Eight of the top-10 metered markets posted double-digit percentage increases compared to last year's race, and all of the nation's top five markets delivered their best rating ever for a Daytona 500 on FOX.
Numerous major markets posted big year-to-year increases for the 500, with many of those markets located outside of NASCAR's traditional southeast US footprint. CLEVELAND was FOX's most impressive growth market for Daytona, up +49%. Following close behind were DETROIT +47%, NEW ORLEANS +40%, SAN FRANCISCO +32%, and ATLANTA +28%.
The USA Network's coverage of the recent Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show drew better TV ratings than last spring's NHL Stanley Cup finals.
Last Sunday's NBA All-Star ratings were down 3% from last year, down to an all-time low.
NASCAR: Eight of the top-10 metered markets posted double-digit percentage increases compared to last year's race, and all of the nation's top five markets delivered their best rating ever for a Daytona 500 on FOX.
Numerous major markets posted big year-to-year increases for the 500, with many of those markets located outside of NASCAR's traditional southeast US footprint. CLEVELAND was FOX's most impressive growth market for Daytona, up +49%. Following close behind were DETROIT +47%, NEW ORLEANS +40%, SAN FRANCISCO +32%, and ATLANTA +28%.
When Does A Series Of Events Become A Trend
This may be nothing...or it may be something. Iraq, Israel/Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and now Egypt. The ground in the Middle East appears to be shifting.
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ordered the constitution changed to allow multi-candidate presidential elections in September, making a surprise reversal Saturday that could pit him against a challenger for the first time since taking power in 1981.
The announcement followed increasing opposition calls within Egypt for political reform and historic Iraqi and Palestinian elections that brought a taste of democracy to a region.
It also came amid a sharp dispute with the United States over Egypt's arrest of one of the strongest proponents of multi-candidate elections.
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ordered the constitution changed to allow multi-candidate presidential elections in September, making a surprise reversal Saturday that could pit him against a challenger for the first time since taking power in 1981.
The announcement followed increasing opposition calls within Egypt for political reform and historic Iraqi and Palestinian elections that brought a taste of democracy to a region.
It also came amid a sharp dispute with the United States over Egypt's arrest of one of the strongest proponents of multi-candidate elections.
What It Means to Wear Kentucky On Your Chest
This is what the Wildcats face every single game. It ain't easy.
Kentucky also faces a familiar obstacle. The opponent has circled the wagons and put maximum effort on beating the Cats.
"It's huge," Shelton said of the game. "It's all everybody's been talking about for probably three or four weeks. They don't worry about who we're playing. They want to know, 'What about the Kentucky game?' "
In today's case, UK faces the only SEC team with an unbeaten home record (13-0).
Then again, Kentucky snapped Alabama's school-record 28-game home winning streak in 2003, the last time the Cats played in Tuscaloosa.
Kentucky also faces a familiar obstacle. The opponent has circled the wagons and put maximum effort on beating the Cats.
"It's huge," Shelton said of the game. "It's all everybody's been talking about for probably three or four weeks. They don't worry about who we're playing. They want to know, 'What about the Kentucky game?' "
In today's case, UK faces the only SEC team with an unbeaten home record (13-0).
Then again, Kentucky snapped Alabama's school-record 28-game home winning streak in 2003, the last time the Cats played in Tuscaloosa.
Governor Swannie
I never cheer for Steelers, but I could make an exception in this case.
HARRISBURG -- Former Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann has a new team to play for -- Team 88, a campaign committee he set up this week as evidence of his increasing seriousness about exploring a run for governor in 2006.
Swann, who lives in Sewickley and works as a college football analyst on ABC-TV, filed papers with the state Department of Elections to create Team 88, named after his number with the Steelers.
Formation of the political committee will allow Swann to begin raising and spending money as he decides whether to compete for the Republican gubernatorial nomination next year.
HARRISBURG -- Former Steelers wide receiver Lynn Swann has a new team to play for -- Team 88, a campaign committee he set up this week as evidence of his increasing seriousness about exploring a run for governor in 2006.
Swann, who lives in Sewickley and works as a college football analyst on ABC-TV, filed papers with the state Department of Elections to create Team 88, named after his number with the Steelers.
Formation of the political committee will allow Swann to begin raising and spending money as he decides whether to compete for the Republican gubernatorial nomination next year.
She Dresses Like A He...But Is A She...But Likes A She...Oh, I Give Up
It's refreshing to see a school board show some backbone. But I fully expect them to cave once this becomes a bigger story.
GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. -- After a spirited discussion over a photo of a girl wearing a tuxedo at Thursday's Clay County School Board meeting, the principal's decision to ban the picture from the Fleming Island High School yearbook stands.
The banned photo of Kelli Davis.Kelli Davis, 18, had her senior class photo taken in a tuxedo top and bow-tie outfit provided for boys rather than the gown-like drape and pearls provided for girls. The school's principal decided it could not appear in the yearbook because she didn't follow the dress code.
Kelli, a straight-A student with no discipline problems, is a self-proclaimed lesbian. She said she was uncomfortable to have her chest exposed in the photo.
"Because that's me, you know. That represents me. The drape does not," Davis said. "They're not accepting me, that's the whole reason we're here."
Davis denies it's about her sexual orientation, just about a student not following the rules.
"There's a dress code to follow -- a dress code expected for senior pictures in the yearbook, and she chose not to follow them. It's just that simple," Clay School Superintendent David Owens said.
How could they be so narrow minded as to expect a girl to dress like a girl.
GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. -- After a spirited discussion over a photo of a girl wearing a tuxedo at Thursday's Clay County School Board meeting, the principal's decision to ban the picture from the Fleming Island High School yearbook stands.
The banned photo of Kelli Davis.Kelli Davis, 18, had her senior class photo taken in a tuxedo top and bow-tie outfit provided for boys rather than the gown-like drape and pearls provided for girls. The school's principal decided it could not appear in the yearbook because she didn't follow the dress code.
Kelli, a straight-A student with no discipline problems, is a self-proclaimed lesbian. She said she was uncomfortable to have her chest exposed in the photo.
"Because that's me, you know. That represents me. The drape does not," Davis said. "They're not accepting me, that's the whole reason we're here."
Davis denies it's about her sexual orientation, just about a student not following the rules.
"There's a dress code to follow -- a dress code expected for senior pictures in the yearbook, and she chose not to follow them. It's just that simple," Clay School Superintendent David Owens said.
How could they be so narrow minded as to expect a girl to dress like a girl.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Why Do Movies Today Stink?
Popcorn!
If The Big Picture has a flaw, it is that Epstein does not explore the question of why one era produced better movies than the other. Part of the answer revolves around the popcorn economy that Epstein details so authoritatively. Once the studios divested themselves of their theaters, theater-owners needed a way to make their businesses solvent, and concessions were the solution. Today popcorn sales keep movie theaters afloat. Adolescents are the primary popcorn consumers and the group most likely to see a film in its first week of release. These two facts create pressure for teen-friendly films with intentionally short shelf-lives. A recipe for junk.
If The Big Picture has a flaw, it is that Epstein does not explore the question of why one era produced better movies than the other. Part of the answer revolves around the popcorn economy that Epstein details so authoritatively. Once the studios divested themselves of their theaters, theater-owners needed a way to make their businesses solvent, and concessions were the solution. Today popcorn sales keep movie theaters afloat. Adolescents are the primary popcorn consumers and the group most likely to see a film in its first week of release. These two facts create pressure for teen-friendly films with intentionally short shelf-lives. A recipe for junk.
The Pope's Life...Or Clinging To It
Andrew Sullivan nails it:
We have been informed that the pontiff's current suffering and persistence against multiple illnesses and debilities is sending a message about the dignity of suffering and the importance of life. There is indeed a great truth to that.
But there is also a point at which clinging to life itself becomes a little odd for a Christian, no? Isn't the fundamental point about Christianity that our life on earth is but a blink in the eye of our real existence, which begins at death and lasts for eternity in God's loving presence? Why is the Pope sending a signal that we should cling to life at all costs - and that this clinging represents some kind of moral achievement? Isn't there a moment at which the proper Christian approach to death is to let it come and be glad?
Or put it another way: if the Pope is this desperate to stay alive, what hope is there for the rest of us?
Paul said "to live is Christ; to die is gain." He was cool with life or death. The Pope should be cool with it too.
We have been informed that the pontiff's current suffering and persistence against multiple illnesses and debilities is sending a message about the dignity of suffering and the importance of life. There is indeed a great truth to that.
But there is also a point at which clinging to life itself becomes a little odd for a Christian, no? Isn't the fundamental point about Christianity that our life on earth is but a blink in the eye of our real existence, which begins at death and lasts for eternity in God's loving presence? Why is the Pope sending a signal that we should cling to life at all costs - and that this clinging represents some kind of moral achievement? Isn't there a moment at which the proper Christian approach to death is to let it come and be glad?
Or put it another way: if the Pope is this desperate to stay alive, what hope is there for the rest of us?
Paul said "to live is Christ; to die is gain." He was cool with life or death. The Pope should be cool with it too.
No More Being Mean
FRANKFORT -- A bill aimed at curbing bullying in schools won House passage Thursday despite concerns it was so broadly written that it could apply to football players.
The bill would require school districts to have conduct codes prohibiting the "harassment, intimidation or bullying" of students. Schools would be expected to have policies to promptly investigate reports of bullying and to protect those lodging complaints from retaliation.
"It will promote respect for each student and hold accountable those students who bully other children," said Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, the bill's sponsor.
Is it currently ok to harass, intimidate and bully other students in school? Maybe it's just me, but I was under the impression that this sort of thing is already prohibited. Somebody clear things up for me, please.
The bill would require school districts to have conduct codes prohibiting the "harassment, intimidation or bullying" of students. Schools would be expected to have policies to promptly investigate reports of bullying and to protect those lodging complaints from retaliation.
"It will promote respect for each student and hold accountable those students who bully other children," said Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, the bill's sponsor.
Is it currently ok to harass, intimidate and bully other students in school? Maybe it's just me, but I was under the impression that this sort of thing is already prohibited. Somebody clear things up for me, please.
Wittman the Man?
Ever since Bob Knight left Indiana, the conventional wisdom was that Steve Alford would take over once Mike Davis got run out of town. Well, with Alford on the verge of being axed at Iowa, that doesn't seem plausible any more.
So who will replace Davis (who most certainly will be fired at years end)?
Rumors persist that Timberwolves assistant coach Randy Wittman is headed to alma mater Indiana if Mike Davis isn't retained as the Hoosiers' coach.
So who will replace Davis (who most certainly will be fired at years end)?
Rumors persist that Timberwolves assistant coach Randy Wittman is headed to alma mater Indiana if Mike Davis isn't retained as the Hoosiers' coach.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
"He Has No Need Of Spin"
A BBC reporter's blog entry on Bush's European trip:
The president is wonderfully un-European - refreshingly so in the view of those of us who have worked in Brussels.
He is unsmooth. He stumbles over his sentences. He uses short, plain, sometimes almost babyish words, while the sophisticated multilingual Euro crowd prefer obfuscatory long ones.
And he gets a clear message across, like it or not. He has no need of spin.
It was interesting that on the White House bus back into town, the journalists did not need to compare notes or discuss the president's words and what they meant.
On the other hand, for Chirac and Schroeder there was a discussion that would have made an old-style Kremlinologist blush. . . .
Some people think Schroeder said one thing about Nato and some think he actually meant another. Others claim that Chirac really believes Schroeder wanted to say... etc etc.
Welcome to Europe, Mr Bush.
The president is wonderfully un-European - refreshingly so in the view of those of us who have worked in Brussels.
He is unsmooth. He stumbles over his sentences. He uses short, plain, sometimes almost babyish words, while the sophisticated multilingual Euro crowd prefer obfuscatory long ones.
And he gets a clear message across, like it or not. He has no need of spin.
It was interesting that on the White House bus back into town, the journalists did not need to compare notes or discuss the president's words and what they meant.
On the other hand, for Chirac and Schroeder there was a discussion that would have made an old-style Kremlinologist blush. . . .
Some people think Schroeder said one thing about Nato and some think he actually meant another. Others claim that Chirac really believes Schroeder wanted to say... etc etc.
Welcome to Europe, Mr Bush.
The Patron Saint of the Internet?
Peggy Noonan has an idea:
St. Isidore of Seville, inventor of the encyclopedia, is said to be the leading contender for the title, but I hope he doesn't get it. The obvious patron saint of the internet is St. Joseph Cupertino. St. Joseph was a great man of the 17th century, and is my second favorite saint.
Many saints were deeply intelligent, and some were geniuses, but St. Joseph Cupertino, God bless him, was a bit of an idiot. Great saints like Teresa of Avila (my favorite: her common sense had a kind of genius to it) wrote books. St. Joseph Cupertino couldn't even read them. He had a low IQ. He was accepted to the priesthood only when a small miracle occurred: His big final test question dealt with the one part of the Bible he'd managed to fully memorize.
What was so special about St. Joseph? His intellectual dullness left him modest; the fact that no one seems ever to have loved him left him not angry but humble; the violence inflicted on him by others left him sympathetic to their frustrations. He thought nothing of himself, and God knew. He loved God with pure and complete ardor, and God knew that too. And God filled him with what most others could not be filled with because they were so full of themselves, and that was love. God poured so much love into St. Joseph that he was lit with it, floated with it. It literally left him airborne.
St. Joseph would pray, and then have visions, and soon he would begin to float. He would come to and find himself in the top of a tree and climb down with great embarrassment. It angered his superiors--who is this idiot to be so filled with love? Smarter people deserved visions! They also resented the fact that the local peasants began to follow him, for they and not the monks and nuns could see something special, the man was a saint. (He was: he'd be sent out to beg for food for the monastery and wind up giving the poor peasants his shoes and cloak instead. One cold winter day he came back naked.) Instead of wearing his shoes, the peasants saved them as relics.
Animals too seemed to understand St. Joseph. They felt the love within him like a mighty vibration. Maybe it was the exact opposite of an earthquake vibration dogs are said to feel. They didn't run from him but to him, and were quiet when they were with him, and put their heads on his knee. Birds would follow him. He'd tell them to shoo but they wouldn't, and he'd laugh. They flew all around his head. He died in obscurity after finally having been assigned never to leave his cell. The best essay on him is in "Saints for Sinners" by Alban Goodier.
Why is St. Joseph Cupertino the obvious patron saint of the Internet? Because he flew through the air, lifted by truth. Because no establishment could keep him down. Because he empowered common people. Because they in fact saw his power before the elites of the time did. And because it could not be an accident that the center of the invention of the Internet, ground zero of Silicon Valley, is Cupertino, Calif., named for the saint centuries ago.
Was God in this? Of course. Does God do such things for no reason? He does not. Has the church recognized St. Joseph Cupertino as patron saint of the Internet? No. But the church was always slow to give him his due. If you want to tell the pope that St. Joseph should be patron saint, you can reach him at john_paul_II@vatican.va.
St. Isidore of Seville, inventor of the encyclopedia, is said to be the leading contender for the title, but I hope he doesn't get it. The obvious patron saint of the internet is St. Joseph Cupertino. St. Joseph was a great man of the 17th century, and is my second favorite saint.
Many saints were deeply intelligent, and some were geniuses, but St. Joseph Cupertino, God bless him, was a bit of an idiot. Great saints like Teresa of Avila (my favorite: her common sense had a kind of genius to it) wrote books. St. Joseph Cupertino couldn't even read them. He had a low IQ. He was accepted to the priesthood only when a small miracle occurred: His big final test question dealt with the one part of the Bible he'd managed to fully memorize.
What was so special about St. Joseph? His intellectual dullness left him modest; the fact that no one seems ever to have loved him left him not angry but humble; the violence inflicted on him by others left him sympathetic to their frustrations. He thought nothing of himself, and God knew. He loved God with pure and complete ardor, and God knew that too. And God filled him with what most others could not be filled with because they were so full of themselves, and that was love. God poured so much love into St. Joseph that he was lit with it, floated with it. It literally left him airborne.
St. Joseph would pray, and then have visions, and soon he would begin to float. He would come to and find himself in the top of a tree and climb down with great embarrassment. It angered his superiors--who is this idiot to be so filled with love? Smarter people deserved visions! They also resented the fact that the local peasants began to follow him, for they and not the monks and nuns could see something special, the man was a saint. (He was: he'd be sent out to beg for food for the monastery and wind up giving the poor peasants his shoes and cloak instead. One cold winter day he came back naked.) Instead of wearing his shoes, the peasants saved them as relics.
Animals too seemed to understand St. Joseph. They felt the love within him like a mighty vibration. Maybe it was the exact opposite of an earthquake vibration dogs are said to feel. They didn't run from him but to him, and were quiet when they were with him, and put their heads on his knee. Birds would follow him. He'd tell them to shoo but they wouldn't, and he'd laugh. They flew all around his head. He died in obscurity after finally having been assigned never to leave his cell. The best essay on him is in "Saints for Sinners" by Alban Goodier.
Why is St. Joseph Cupertino the obvious patron saint of the Internet? Because he flew through the air, lifted by truth. Because no establishment could keep him down. Because he empowered common people. Because they in fact saw his power before the elites of the time did. And because it could not be an accident that the center of the invention of the Internet, ground zero of Silicon Valley, is Cupertino, Calif., named for the saint centuries ago.
Was God in this? Of course. Does God do such things for no reason? He does not. Has the church recognized St. Joseph Cupertino as patron saint of the Internet? No. But the church was always slow to give him his due. If you want to tell the pope that St. Joseph should be patron saint, you can reach him at john_paul_II@vatican.va.
I Love This Game!
I love the NBA - both the play on the court and the antics off. Bill Simmons agrees, and files this report from All-Star Weekend in Denver.
Three more things about the NBA Players Association party that you need to know:
1. Everyone had to pass through a metal detector on the way in.
2. This was my first party with "Courvousier ($12)" on the main drink menu at every bar, right alongside "Beer ($4)," "Wine ($6)" and "Mixed drinks ($8)."
3. In one of the men's bathrooms, at 1:45 in the morning, there were guys throwing dice against the wall and betting on every roll.
(The NBA ... it's FANNNNNNNN-tastic! I love this game!)
Three more things about the NBA Players Association party that you need to know:
1. Everyone had to pass through a metal detector on the way in.
2. This was my first party with "Courvousier ($12)" on the main drink menu at every bar, right alongside "Beer ($4)," "Wine ($6)" and "Mixed drinks ($8)."
3. In one of the men's bathrooms, at 1:45 in the morning, there were guys throwing dice against the wall and betting on every roll.
(The NBA ... it's FANNNNNNNN-tastic! I love this game!)
Wedded Bliss?
Here are two phrases you never want to see associated with a marriage:
1. "stabbed with a broken wineglass"
2. "back shaved by topless strippers"
CHRISTIAN Slater has finally called it a day. The "True Romance" star yesterday filed for divorce from his wife of five years, Ryan Haddon (above). The two have had a tumultuous relationship — Haddon once stabbed Slater with a broken wineglass and also flew into a rage two years ago when he was caught in the couple's Vancouver rental home getting his back shaved by topless strippers. A friend of Haddon said the model now will live in London with the couple's two children and that "they are still friends — they just can't stay together."
1. "stabbed with a broken wineglass"
2. "back shaved by topless strippers"
CHRISTIAN Slater has finally called it a day. The "True Romance" star yesterday filed for divorce from his wife of five years, Ryan Haddon (above). The two have had a tumultuous relationship — Haddon once stabbed Slater with a broken wineglass and also flew into a rage two years ago when he was caught in the couple's Vancouver rental home getting his back shaved by topless strippers. A friend of Haddon said the model now will live in London with the couple's two children and that "they are still friends — they just can't stay together."
More Good Signs From Abbas
RAMALLAH, West Bank Feb 24, 2005 — The Palestinian parliament on Thursday approved a new Cabinet dominated by professional appointees, a major move toward long-sought reform.
The Cabinet lineup was approved by 54 of 85 legislators approve the lineup.
The vote ended days of wrangling between rebellious legislators and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, who initially sought to reappoint political cronies from the Arafat era.
On Wednesday, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas intervened in the dispute between parliament and his prime minister, and persuaded legislators from his Fatah Party to support a Cabinet largely consisting of ministers chosen for their expertise, not political loyalty.
The Cabinet lineup was approved by 54 of 85 legislators approve the lineup.
The vote ended days of wrangling between rebellious legislators and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, who initially sought to reappoint political cronies from the Arafat era.
On Wednesday, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas intervened in the dispute between parliament and his prime minister, and persuaded legislators from his Fatah Party to support a Cabinet largely consisting of ministers chosen for their expertise, not political loyalty.
Million Dollar Baby Review
From Mike Potemra at National Review:
I finally saw it. To the extent that it rises above (or sinks below) the level of a formulaic boxing movie, it is a film that combines right-wing Nietzscheanism with left-wing Nietzscheanism in a strong brew of despair and dehumanization. Enough has probably been said about the film’s depiction, in its final scenes, of bioethical issues. What does need pointing out, I think, is the extent to which the final scenes are not tacked on, but rather are a natural outgrowth of the rest of this pernicious film. The movie from the very beginning uses boxing as a metaphor for life: The people who have dignity are the fighters. This is an easy metaphor to get away with, because--in its fallen condition--mankind does indeed tend to lose sight of its true source of dignity, and seek its redemption on an individual basis: being better, stronger, tougher, faster, smarter, wittier, more famous, etc., than the next person. But acquiescing in this metaphor of struggle can carry a prohibitive moral cost, which is abundantly on display in this ugly film. The movie’s chief villains are the woman boxer’s female relatives: They are depicted as without any redeeming virtue, a bunch of thugs and welfare cheats who live off others without any gratitude. The film does not use the old Nazi phrase “useless eaters” to describe them, but the idea comes through loud and clear. No wonder, then, that when the heroine—remember, she is tough, famous, pretty, and noble; in short, someone who deserves to be alive—faces the possibility of life as just such a “useless eater,” she, like the film, chooses death. This is a dull movie, punctuated by a handful of emotionally effective moments, and carries a degrading message. It is a not an analysis of what sin has done to humanity; it is a symptom.
I finally saw it. To the extent that it rises above (or sinks below) the level of a formulaic boxing movie, it is a film that combines right-wing Nietzscheanism with left-wing Nietzscheanism in a strong brew of despair and dehumanization. Enough has probably been said about the film’s depiction, in its final scenes, of bioethical issues. What does need pointing out, I think, is the extent to which the final scenes are not tacked on, but rather are a natural outgrowth of the rest of this pernicious film. The movie from the very beginning uses boxing as a metaphor for life: The people who have dignity are the fighters. This is an easy metaphor to get away with, because--in its fallen condition--mankind does indeed tend to lose sight of its true source of dignity, and seek its redemption on an individual basis: being better, stronger, tougher, faster, smarter, wittier, more famous, etc., than the next person. But acquiescing in this metaphor of struggle can carry a prohibitive moral cost, which is abundantly on display in this ugly film. The movie’s chief villains are the woman boxer’s female relatives: They are depicted as without any redeeming virtue, a bunch of thugs and welfare cheats who live off others without any gratitude. The film does not use the old Nazi phrase “useless eaters” to describe them, but the idea comes through loud and clear. No wonder, then, that when the heroine—remember, she is tough, famous, pretty, and noble; in short, someone who deserves to be alive—faces the possibility of life as just such a “useless eater,” she, like the film, chooses death. This is a dull movie, punctuated by a handful of emotionally effective moments, and carries a degrading message. It is a not an analysis of what sin has done to humanity; it is a symptom.
The Next Domino To Fall
Leaders of Lebanon's banking, industrial and commercial sectors said they would shut down next Monday to demand the country's pro-Syrian government resign and that a "neutral" one replace it.
The strike would coincide with an expected vote of confidence in parliament, two weeks after the murder of former premier Rafiq Hariri in a bomb blast for which the opposition has pinned blame on the government and its Syrian backers.
The strike would coincide with an expected vote of confidence in parliament, two weeks after the murder of former premier Rafiq Hariri in a bomb blast for which the opposition has pinned blame on the government and its Syrian backers.
Bush In Germany
From Der Spiegel:
President Ronald Reagan's visit to Berlin in 1987 was, in many respects, very similar to President George W. Bush's visit to Mainz on Wednesday. Like Bush's visit, Reagan's trip was likewise accompanied by unprecedented security precautions. A handpicked crowd cheered Reagan in front of the Brandenburg Gate while large parts of the Berlin subway system were shut down. And the Germany Reagan was traveling in, much like today's Germany, was very skeptical of the American president and his foreign policy. When Reagan stood before the Brandenburg Gate -- and the Berlin Wall -- and demanded that Gorbachev "tear down this Wall," he was lampooned the next day on the editorial pages. He is a dreamer, wrote commentators. Realpolitik looks different.
But history has shown that it wasn't Reagan who was the dreamer as he voiced his demand. Rather, it was German politicians who were lacking in imagination -- a group who in 1987 couldn't imagine that there might be an alternative to a divided Germany. Those who spoke of reunification were labelled as nationalists and the entire German left was completely uninterested in a unified Germany. . . .
When the voter turnout in Iraq recently exceeded that of many Western nations, the chorus of critique from Iraq alarmists was, at least for a couple of days, quieted. Just as quiet as the chorus of Germany experts on the night of Nov. 9, 1989 when the Wall fell.
President Ronald Reagan's visit to Berlin in 1987 was, in many respects, very similar to President George W. Bush's visit to Mainz on Wednesday. Like Bush's visit, Reagan's trip was likewise accompanied by unprecedented security precautions. A handpicked crowd cheered Reagan in front of the Brandenburg Gate while large parts of the Berlin subway system were shut down. And the Germany Reagan was traveling in, much like today's Germany, was very skeptical of the American president and his foreign policy. When Reagan stood before the Brandenburg Gate -- and the Berlin Wall -- and demanded that Gorbachev "tear down this Wall," he was lampooned the next day on the editorial pages. He is a dreamer, wrote commentators. Realpolitik looks different.
But history has shown that it wasn't Reagan who was the dreamer as he voiced his demand. Rather, it was German politicians who were lacking in imagination -- a group who in 1987 couldn't imagine that there might be an alternative to a divided Germany. Those who spoke of reunification were labelled as nationalists and the entire German left was completely uninterested in a unified Germany. . . .
When the voter turnout in Iraq recently exceeded that of many Western nations, the chorus of critique from Iraq alarmists was, at least for a couple of days, quieted. Just as quiet as the chorus of Germany experts on the night of Nov. 9, 1989 when the Wall fell.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Bob Dylan Speaks
Bob's not too keen on the kids:
"I know there are groups at the top of the charts that are hailed as the saviours of rock'n'roll and all that, but they are amateurs. They don't know where the music comes from," he wrote, adding, “I wouldn't even think about playing music if I was born in these times... I'd probably turn to something like mathematics. That would interest me. Architecture would interest me. Something like that."
But remember, never trust anyone over 30.
"I know there are groups at the top of the charts that are hailed as the saviours of rock'n'roll and all that, but they are amateurs. They don't know where the music comes from," he wrote, adding, “I wouldn't even think about playing music if I was born in these times... I'd probably turn to something like mathematics. That would interest me. Architecture would interest me. Something like that."
But remember, never trust anyone over 30.
Librarians Are Nuts
Case in point:
CULVER CITY, Calif.- Francesca Lia Block's Los Angeles is a glittering dream world of "stained-glass Marilyn Monroes shining in the trees, leopard-spotted cars, gardens full of pink poison oleander," where the pollution makes for extra-beautiful sunsets. It is also the home of Weetzie Bat, the heroine of Ms. Block's highly successful books for young adults.
Weetzie Bat wears vintage clothes decorated with sparkles. She has a boyfriend she calls "My Secret Agent Lover Man." They live with Dirk, Weetzie's gay best friend, his lover, Duck, and Weetzie's daughter, Cherokee, possibly conceived during group sex with Dirk and Duck. There is also Witch Baby, Lover Man's child with a witch. The family works in the movie business. And they become involved with seamier elements of Los Angeles: rough sex, pimps and drugs.
This may not seem like a conventional young-adult book or something to be promoted by your local library. But in January, the Young Adult Library Services Association of the American Library Association announced that Ms. Block was being given the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement, sponsored by School Library Journal. The award's web site (www.ala.org) says it "recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role" in society.
"Hers is a voice so unique that nobody will ever be able to imitate it," said Cindy Dobrez, a public school librarian and chairwoman of the award committee.
CULVER CITY, Calif.- Francesca Lia Block's Los Angeles is a glittering dream world of "stained-glass Marilyn Monroes shining in the trees, leopard-spotted cars, gardens full of pink poison oleander," where the pollution makes for extra-beautiful sunsets. It is also the home of Weetzie Bat, the heroine of Ms. Block's highly successful books for young adults.
Weetzie Bat wears vintage clothes decorated with sparkles. She has a boyfriend she calls "My Secret Agent Lover Man." They live with Dirk, Weetzie's gay best friend, his lover, Duck, and Weetzie's daughter, Cherokee, possibly conceived during group sex with Dirk and Duck. There is also Witch Baby, Lover Man's child with a witch. The family works in the movie business. And they become involved with seamier elements of Los Angeles: rough sex, pimps and drugs.
This may not seem like a conventional young-adult book or something to be promoted by your local library. But in January, the Young Adult Library Services Association of the American Library Association announced that Ms. Block was being given the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement, sponsored by School Library Journal. The award's web site (www.ala.org) says it "recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role" in society.
"Hers is a voice so unique that nobody will ever be able to imitate it," said Cindy Dobrez, a public school librarian and chairwoman of the award committee.
Trading In Korn For The King
This is rather surprising:
Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch has parted ways with the hard rock act. Welch broke the news Sunday on Bakersfield, Calif., station KRAB-FM, citing a recent religious awakening. "I had it in my heart to come here and explain to you," Welch said. "I'm good friends with Korn. I love those guys, and they love me, and they're very happy for me."
Addressing the aggressive tone of the music he made with Korn, Welch said, "Anger is a good thing, and if kids want to listen to Korn, good, but there's happiness after the anger. I'm going to show it through my actions how much I love my fans."
Welch added that he would be appearing at a local church on Sunday (Feb. 27), during which time he would "speak [about] how I got to this place in my life, and I'll answer all your questions."
On its official Web site, Korn's remaining members said they respect Welch's wishes and hope "he finds the happiness he is searching for." The group is in the studio working on a new album, due in September, which will be its first since fulfilling its contract with Epic last year.
For now, no replacement for Welch has been named, nor has a new label home for the band.
Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch has parted ways with the hard rock act. Welch broke the news Sunday on Bakersfield, Calif., station KRAB-FM, citing a recent religious awakening. "I had it in my heart to come here and explain to you," Welch said. "I'm good friends with Korn. I love those guys, and they love me, and they're very happy for me."
Addressing the aggressive tone of the music he made with Korn, Welch said, "Anger is a good thing, and if kids want to listen to Korn, good, but there's happiness after the anger. I'm going to show it through my actions how much I love my fans."
Welch added that he would be appearing at a local church on Sunday (Feb. 27), during which time he would "speak [about] how I got to this place in my life, and I'll answer all your questions."
On its official Web site, Korn's remaining members said they respect Welch's wishes and hope "he finds the happiness he is searching for." The group is in the studio working on a new album, due in September, which will be its first since fulfilling its contract with Epic last year.
For now, no replacement for Welch has been named, nor has a new label home for the band.
The Boys Are Back In Town
If you thought new Newport had completely replaced old Newport, think again.
It was a rough-and-tumble weekend among teens in Newport, where police say three boys were assaulted with everything from a slingshot and a steak knife to brass knuckles and a baseball bat.
Newport police arrested two boys -- one 12, the other 13 -- on felony assault charges after allegedly attacking two 13-year-old boys in separate incidents Friday and Saturday. No arrests were made in connection with a third assault on an 18-year-old Cincinnati teen Friday afternoon.
In that incident, Walter J. Harris, told Newport police that someone began shooting rocks from a slingshot at him and his friends as they walked along Ann Street about 1 p.m. When Harris told the stranger to stop firing rocks, he told police that three men emerged from a house on the west side of the street and attacked him. Harris told investigators that one of the assailants beat him in the head with brass knuckles.
Harris was treated at St. Luke Hospital East in Fort Thomas for cuts and bruises. He told police his assailants were white men with medium builds and facial hair. He said one wore a New York Yankees ball cap and all three came from a home about four or five houses down from the Ninth Street intersection.
A few hours later police say another fight broke out on Liberty Street between 12- and 13-year-old brothers at odds over who would get to go online next. Newport police said the case of sibling rivalry turned violent when the younger boy tried to cut in line at the computer by cutting his big brother with a steak knife.
The 12-year-old boy then allegedly ran outside and tossed the knife into the sewer before police arrived. The victim was not badly hurt, but suffered a cut to his left side. His younger brother, who was not identified because of his age, is charged with second-degree assault.
The final teen-aged tussle of the weekend occurred Saturday just after 8 p.m., when Newport police say a 13-year-old Thornton Street boy was beaten with a baseball bat by another 13-year-old boy outside his home.
The victim's father, Christopher Iles, told Newport police he and his teen-age son went to their front door Saturday night after a large group of kids gathered on their porch and began kicking the door. Iles told police that his son moved toward a boy in the crowd he expected to fight when he was struck in the head with a broken baseball bat. The victim was treated at St. Luke Hospital East in Fort Thomas for a head wound. His accused assailant -- a seventh-grader at Newport Middle School -- is charged with second-degree assault.
It was a rough-and-tumble weekend among teens in Newport, where police say three boys were assaulted with everything from a slingshot and a steak knife to brass knuckles and a baseball bat.
Newport police arrested two boys -- one 12, the other 13 -- on felony assault charges after allegedly attacking two 13-year-old boys in separate incidents Friday and Saturday. No arrests were made in connection with a third assault on an 18-year-old Cincinnati teen Friday afternoon.
In that incident, Walter J. Harris, told Newport police that someone began shooting rocks from a slingshot at him and his friends as they walked along Ann Street about 1 p.m. When Harris told the stranger to stop firing rocks, he told police that three men emerged from a house on the west side of the street and attacked him. Harris told investigators that one of the assailants beat him in the head with brass knuckles.
Harris was treated at St. Luke Hospital East in Fort Thomas for cuts and bruises. He told police his assailants were white men with medium builds and facial hair. He said one wore a New York Yankees ball cap and all three came from a home about four or five houses down from the Ninth Street intersection.
A few hours later police say another fight broke out on Liberty Street between 12- and 13-year-old brothers at odds over who would get to go online next. Newport police said the case of sibling rivalry turned violent when the younger boy tried to cut in line at the computer by cutting his big brother with a steak knife.
The 12-year-old boy then allegedly ran outside and tossed the knife into the sewer before police arrived. The victim was not badly hurt, but suffered a cut to his left side. His younger brother, who was not identified because of his age, is charged with second-degree assault.
The final teen-aged tussle of the weekend occurred Saturday just after 8 p.m., when Newport police say a 13-year-old Thornton Street boy was beaten with a baseball bat by another 13-year-old boy outside his home.
The victim's father, Christopher Iles, told Newport police he and his teen-age son went to their front door Saturday night after a large group of kids gathered on their porch and began kicking the door. Iles told police that his son moved toward a boy in the crowd he expected to fight when he was struck in the head with a broken baseball bat. The victim was treated at St. Luke Hospital East in Fort Thomas for a head wound. His accused assailant -- a seventh-grader at Newport Middle School -- is charged with second-degree assault.
A Must-Read For All Parents
Sports has become one of our culture's Gods, but it's taking a considerable toll on our kids. And here's more:
Around the country, doctors in pediatric sports medicine say it is as if they have happened upon a new childhood disease, and the cause is the overaggressive culture of organized youth sports.
"They are overuse injuries pure and simple," Dr. James Andrews, a nationally prominent sports orthopedist, said. "You get a kid on the operating table and you say to yourself, 'It's impossible for a 13-year-old to have this kind of wear and tear.' We've got an epidemic going on."
...Dr. Andrews advocates a laundry list of changes. It begins with stopping year-round play in one sport. "At least three months off," he said. For baseball and softball pitchers, he would also ban the radar gun.
"That thing has wrecked more arms," he said. "I'm sick of seeing these kids being torn apart."
Around the country, doctors in pediatric sports medicine say it is as if they have happened upon a new childhood disease, and the cause is the overaggressive culture of organized youth sports.
"They are overuse injuries pure and simple," Dr. James Andrews, a nationally prominent sports orthopedist, said. "You get a kid on the operating table and you say to yourself, 'It's impossible for a 13-year-old to have this kind of wear and tear.' We've got an epidemic going on."
...Dr. Andrews advocates a laundry list of changes. It begins with stopping year-round play in one sport. "At least three months off," he said. For baseball and softball pitchers, he would also ban the radar gun.
"That thing has wrecked more arms," he said. "I'm sick of seeing these kids being torn apart."
Quote of the Day
From the WaPo:
The leader of this Lebanese intifada [for independence from Syria] is Walid Jumblatt, the patriarch of the Druze Muslim community and, until recently, a man who accommodated Syria's occupation. But something snapped for Jumblatt last year, when the Syrians overruled the Lebanese constitution and forced the reelection of their front man in Lebanon, President Emile Lahoud. The old slogans about Arab nationalism turned to ashes in Jumblatt's mouth, and he and Hariri openly began to defy Damascus...
"It's strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of the American invasion of Iraq," explains Jumblatt. "I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, 8 million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world." Jumblatt says this spark of democratic revolt is spreading. "The Syrian people, the Egyptian people, all say that something is changing. The Berlin Wall has fallen. We can see it."
The leader of this Lebanese intifada [for independence from Syria] is Walid Jumblatt, the patriarch of the Druze Muslim community and, until recently, a man who accommodated Syria's occupation. But something snapped for Jumblatt last year, when the Syrians overruled the Lebanese constitution and forced the reelection of their front man in Lebanon, President Emile Lahoud. The old slogans about Arab nationalism turned to ashes in Jumblatt's mouth, and he and Hariri openly began to defy Damascus...
"It's strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of the American invasion of Iraq," explains Jumblatt. "I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, 8 million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world." Jumblatt says this spark of democratic revolt is spreading. "The Syrian people, the Egyptian people, all say that something is changing. The Berlin Wall has fallen. We can see it."
How Do You Define Wussy?
Larry Summers:
After five weeks of mea culpas for his remarks about women in the sciences, Dr. Summers issued yet another apology. He promised professors that they would no longer experience the intimidation, anger and hurt feelings that many of them have reported in his three-and-a-half-year tenure.
After five weeks of mea culpas for his remarks about women in the sciences, Dr. Summers issued yet another apology. He promised professors that they would no longer experience the intimidation, anger and hurt feelings that many of them have reported in his three-and-a-half-year tenure.
Nevermind
Inequality still exists:
The findings drew immediate criticism from some feminist groups and scholars.
"This reminds me of that saying, 'lies, damn lies and statistics," said Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women. "There's no question that boys and girls have disadvantages in different ways, but the variables they have chosen seem designed to show girls are doing better."
The findings drew immediate criticism from some feminist groups and scholars.
"This reminds me of that saying, 'lies, damn lies and statistics," said Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women. "There's no question that boys and girls have disadvantages in different ways, but the variables they have chosen seem designed to show girls are doing better."
The Boys Are Alright
The WaPo breaks a story that we already knew:
Contradicting both sides in the long-running debate on whether boys or girls have it better in America, the most comprehensive examination of the overall well-being of male and female children has found that the sexes are faring about equally. Although boys have the advantage in some areas and girls score better in others, they are doing about the same in a broad array of measures assessing essential dimensions of life, such as health, safety, economics and education, the researchers found.
Contradicting both sides in the long-running debate on whether boys or girls have it better in America, the most comprehensive examination of the overall well-being of male and female children has found that the sexes are faring about equally. Although boys have the advantage in some areas and girls score better in others, they are doing about the same in a broad array of measures assessing essential dimensions of life, such as health, safety, economics and education, the researchers found.
The Return of Gluttony
Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has lost 110 pounds. Read about it here. Why did he do it?
"If my body belonged to the Lord, I was not following the design of the Designer," said the governor.
It is a matter of the divine ownership of the body, said Huckabee.
"I was living in a way that made my body unfit as a temple where He might live. It was not only unhealthy. It was sinful," said Huckabee.
Ah, yes, gluttony. One of the seven deadly sins, yet largely ignored as a spiritual issue in today's culture. But it is. Our weight, like our sex lives and integrity and attitude, is a reflection of our obedience to God.
The worst part about the sin of gluttony is that it is - usually - out there for all the world to see. It's difficult to hide 100 extra pounds.
"If my body belonged to the Lord, I was not following the design of the Designer," said the governor.
It is a matter of the divine ownership of the body, said Huckabee.
"I was living in a way that made my body unfit as a temple where He might live. It was not only unhealthy. It was sinful," said Huckabee.
Ah, yes, gluttony. One of the seven deadly sins, yet largely ignored as a spiritual issue in today's culture. But it is. Our weight, like our sex lives and integrity and attitude, is a reflection of our obedience to God.
The worst part about the sin of gluttony is that it is - usually - out there for all the world to see. It's difficult to hide 100 extra pounds.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Still Kicking
John Paul continues to fight the good fight of faith. He is truly a voice crying in the wilderness.
ROME (Reuters) - Homosexual marriages are part of "a new ideology of evil" that is insidiously threatening society, Pope John Paul says in a new book published Tuesday.
In "Memory and Identity," the Pope also calls abortion a "legal extermination" comparable to attempts to wipe out Jews and other groups in the 20th century.
ROME (Reuters) - Homosexual marriages are part of "a new ideology of evil" that is insidiously threatening society, Pope John Paul says in a new book published Tuesday.
In "Memory and Identity," the Pope also calls abortion a "legal extermination" comparable to attempts to wipe out Jews and other groups in the 20th century.
Like It Or Not...
...NASCAR is here to stay. Check out these HUGE ratings from Sunday's Daytona 500.
A Universe Entirely of Ourselves
Andrew Sullivan laments our technology-obsessed world...of which he is a part. The bottom line:
Technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves — where the serendipity of meeting a new stranger, hearing a piece of music we would never choose for ourselves or an opinion that might force us to change our mind about something are all effectively banished.
Technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves — where the serendipity of meeting a new stranger, hearing a piece of music we would never choose for ourselves or an opinion that might force us to change our mind about something are all effectively banished.
Ward Churchill Update
The University of Colorado made their bed; now they must sleep in it.
University of Colorado officials rushed to award tenure to Ward Churchill in 1991, thinking he had been offered a full professorship in American Indian studies at a California university.
But a former official in the California system says no such offer was ever made.
"He wasn't really a serious candidate because of his lack of credentials," said George Wayne, a former vice president for student academic services at California State University, Sacramento.
"The lack of a doctorate was one factor," Wayne said Monday. "Also, he wasn't writing learned articles - they were advocacy articles that could appear anywhere."
University of Colorado officials rushed to award tenure to Ward Churchill in 1991, thinking he had been offered a full professorship in American Indian studies at a California university.
But a former official in the California system says no such offer was ever made.
"He wasn't really a serious candidate because of his lack of credentials," said George Wayne, a former vice president for student academic services at California State University, Sacramento.
"The lack of a doctorate was one factor," Wayne said Monday. "Also, he wasn't writing learned articles - they were advocacy articles that could appear anywhere."
The Drumbeat Continues
Instead of isolated incidents, these now seem to be the trend in the Middle East.
About 500 protesters gathered outside Cairo University Monday to urge Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to abstain from seeking a fifth term.
The protest was organized by the Egyptian Movement for Change, which warned Mubarak against grooming his son, Jamal, "to inherit him."
The protesters shouted anti-Mubarak slogans and called for amending the constitution to allow the election of the president by universal suffrage instead of a referendum on a single candidate approved by Parliament.
Here's more on Lebanon, from Amir Taheri:
UNTIL a week ago, the courtyard of the Muhammad Ali-Amin Mosque in central Beirut was a quiet place where elderly citizens took time off to feed the pigeons. Yesterday, however, it held the largest gathering Lebanon has ever seen.
This was the culmination of a week in which an endless flow of people from all walks of life and different faiths had continued in and out of the mosque united by a single purpose: to call for a restoration of Lebanon's freedom and independence as a nation. . . .
Did Damascus see Hariri as the only politician capable of uniting the Lebanese opposition against Syria's continued domination of virtually all aspects of Lebanon's life?
If so, it was correct — but only in the context of Lebanon's elite-dominated politics. Yet Hariri's murder has ended elite politics by bringing into the picture a new element.
That element is people power, the same force that swept away the totalitarian regimes of Central and Eastern Europe in the 1990s and, more recently, led Ukraine into a second liberation.
About 500 protesters gathered outside Cairo University Monday to urge Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to abstain from seeking a fifth term.
The protest was organized by the Egyptian Movement for Change, which warned Mubarak against grooming his son, Jamal, "to inherit him."
The protesters shouted anti-Mubarak slogans and called for amending the constitution to allow the election of the president by universal suffrage instead of a referendum on a single candidate approved by Parliament.
Here's more on Lebanon, from Amir Taheri:
UNTIL a week ago, the courtyard of the Muhammad Ali-Amin Mosque in central Beirut was a quiet place where elderly citizens took time off to feed the pigeons. Yesterday, however, it held the largest gathering Lebanon has ever seen.
This was the culmination of a week in which an endless flow of people from all walks of life and different faiths had continued in and out of the mosque united by a single purpose: to call for a restoration of Lebanon's freedom and independence as a nation. . . .
Did Damascus see Hariri as the only politician capable of uniting the Lebanese opposition against Syria's continued domination of virtually all aspects of Lebanon's life?
If so, it was correct — but only in the context of Lebanon's elite-dominated politics. Yet Hariri's murder has ended elite politics by bringing into the picture a new element.
That element is people power, the same force that swept away the totalitarian regimes of Central and Eastern Europe in the 1990s and, more recently, led Ukraine into a second liberation.
Monday, February 21, 2005
Go, W, Go!
The thing I most like about W is that he just doesn't care what the sniveling, chattering classes think. Most thought he was traveling to Europe on the defensive, yet he continues to play offense.
President Bush and French President Jacques Chirac said Monday they had patched up their differences over Iraq as Bush appealed for European unity in helping to spread democracy across the Middle East.
At the same time, Bush prodded Russia to reverse a crackdown on political dissent, suggesting Moscow's efforts to join the World Trade Organization could hinge on it. He said he would press the point when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the week.
"I intend to remind him that if his interests lie West, that we share values and that those values are important," Bush said. "They're not only important for people who that live within Russia, they're important to have good relations with the West."
He also demanded that Iran end its nuclear ambitions and told Syria to get out of Lebanon.
President Bush and French President Jacques Chirac said Monday they had patched up their differences over Iraq as Bush appealed for European unity in helping to spread democracy across the Middle East.
At the same time, Bush prodded Russia to reverse a crackdown on political dissent, suggesting Moscow's efforts to join the World Trade Organization could hinge on it. He said he would press the point when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin later in the week.
"I intend to remind him that if his interests lie West, that we share values and that those values are important," Bush said. "They're not only important for people who that live within Russia, they're important to have good relations with the West."
He also demanded that Iran end its nuclear ambitions and told Syria to get out of Lebanon.
Jim Bunning May Be Crazy, But I Like How He Votes
Go here to find out how liberal or conservative your Congressional representatives are...as judged by The National Journal.
It's About Time
I've always ridiculed NKU for its open enrollment policy. That is, let anybody in regardless of academic performance as long as they pay the tuition. Apparently, that is changing. This is a small change, but it's a start.
And I Thought NOW Had Become Irrelevant
The National Organization for Women has called for the resignation of Harvard University President Lawrence Summers.
Summers offended feminists last week when he suggested that "innate" differences in men and women may help explain why men dominate math, sciences and engineering.
But according to NOW, the long history of male domination in these fields is attributable to "sexism" and other social constructs.
In response, I call for the President of NOW to resign.
Summers offended feminists last week when he suggested that "innate" differences in men and women may help explain why men dominate math, sciences and engineering.
But according to NOW, the long history of male domination in these fields is attributable to "sexism" and other social constructs.
In response, I call for the President of NOW to resign.
Tru Dat
As much as I dislike Vitale, I think he's right:
Strongest comments: 1. Though No. 3 Kentucky drubbed Mississippi State on Saturday night 94-78, ESPN's Dick Vitale said the Wildcats have "overachieved to be 20-3."
Strongest comments: 1. Though No. 3 Kentucky drubbed Mississippi State on Saturday night 94-78, ESPN's Dick Vitale said the Wildcats have "overachieved to be 20-3."
The Hits Just Keep On Coming
We haven't even gotten to the big stuff yet, and already top UN officials are resigning.
The U.N.'s top refugee advocate resigned Sunday amid a festering controversy over allegations that he sexually harassed several female employees at the U.N. refugee agency. . . .
U.N. diplomats said Lubbers had become a political liability for an organization already striving to demonstrate its willingness to hold senior officials accountable after damaging scandals involving corruption in a U.N. humanitarian program in Iraq and sexual misconduct by U.N. peacekeepers in Congo.
Annan is bracing for a report next month by a U.N.-appointed panel probing allegations of influence peddling in the U.N.-administered oil-for-food program in Iraq by his son, Kojo Annan. Those charges have triggered calls for Annan's resignation from some legislators, including Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
The U.N.'s top refugee advocate resigned Sunday amid a festering controversy over allegations that he sexually harassed several female employees at the U.N. refugee agency. . . .
U.N. diplomats said Lubbers had become a political liability for an organization already striving to demonstrate its willingness to hold senior officials accountable after damaging scandals involving corruption in a U.N. humanitarian program in Iraq and sexual misconduct by U.N. peacekeepers in Congo.
Annan is bracing for a report next month by a U.N.-appointed panel probing allegations of influence peddling in the U.N.-administered oil-for-food program in Iraq by his son, Kojo Annan. Those charges have triggered calls for Annan's resignation from some legislators, including Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
Wheeling and Dealing
This is interesting.
U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers are conducting secret talks with Iraq's Sunni insurgents on ways to end fighting there, Time magazine reported on Sunday, citing Pentagon and other sources.
The magazine cited a secret meeting between two members of the U.S. military and an Iraqi negotiator, a middle-aged former member of Saddam Hussein's regime and the senior representative of what he called the nationalist insurgency.
"We are ready to work with you," the Iraqi negotiator said, according to Time.
Iraqi insurgent leaders not aligned with al Qaeda ally Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi told the magazine several nationalist groups composed of what the Pentagon calls "former regime elements" have become open to negotiating. The insurgents said their aim was to establish a political identity that can represent disenfranchised Sunnis.
If a deal is struck, where would this leave Zarqawi? On an island.
U.S. diplomats and intelligence officers are conducting secret talks with Iraq's Sunni insurgents on ways to end fighting there, Time magazine reported on Sunday, citing Pentagon and other sources.
The magazine cited a secret meeting between two members of the U.S. military and an Iraqi negotiator, a middle-aged former member of Saddam Hussein's regime and the senior representative of what he called the nationalist insurgency.
"We are ready to work with you," the Iraqi negotiator said, according to Time.
Iraqi insurgent leaders not aligned with al Qaeda ally Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi told the magazine several nationalist groups composed of what the Pentagon calls "former regime elements" have become open to negotiating. The insurgents said their aim was to establish a political identity that can represent disenfranchised Sunnis.
If a deal is struck, where would this leave Zarqawi? On an island.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
R's On The Decline
This is a positive trend.
Despite moral watchdogs lamenting Hollywood's vile tendencies, the studios have actually been cleaning up their act. R-rated films, once the studios' mainstay, are on the decline, both in numbers and in lure. In the last five years, R-rated pics have dwindled from 212 in 1999 to just 147 last year.
Perhaps even more startling is the fact that in 2004, PG films outgrossed R pics for the first time in two decades: $2.3 billion to $2.1 billion. The last time PG was bigger business than R was 1984, the year the Motion Picture Assn. of America introduced the PG-13 rating.
Despite moral watchdogs lamenting Hollywood's vile tendencies, the studios have actually been cleaning up their act. R-rated films, once the studios' mainstay, are on the decline, both in numbers and in lure. In the last five years, R-rated pics have dwindled from 212 in 1999 to just 147 last year.
Perhaps even more startling is the fact that in 2004, PG films outgrossed R pics for the first time in two decades: $2.3 billion to $2.1 billion. The last time PG was bigger business than R was 1984, the year the Motion Picture Assn. of America introduced the PG-13 rating.
Daytona 500
I'm only a casual NASCAR fan, but I always watch the Daytona 500. Today's race about took my breath away. Four lead changes in the last nine laps...all at 193 miles per hour and three or four wide on the track. Unbelievable.
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